Will the Real Anakin Please Stand Up?
by JediOtaku
Summary: The Force can be a funny thing sometimes. About a month after the events of the Phantom Menace a second young Anakin Skywalker magically appears at the Jedi temple. Who is he? How did he get here? Is he the chosen one as well?
1. Chapter 1

**A Strange Disturbance in the Force**

Young Anakin Skywalker was sleeping at the Jedi temple with the other younglings. His studies in the force were going exceptionally well considering all the obstacles he had to overcome this past month.

He was always told that he was too something. Ever since Master Windu said that he was too old in the council chambers many of his instructors tried to refuse him on that basis. Some of the other younglings followed this example and teased him for being a slave. It seems that even children who are purported to be paragons of Light and virtue can be cruel. This made Anakin angry and a different surge of power passed through him, one that he was too young to understand. In a display of power, he stole a training lightsaber from the nearest classmate teasing him and disassembled it in front of him. He then fought the other classmates out of anger which resulted in him being suspended for a week, with frequent scheduled visits with Grandmaster Yoda.

With Grandmaster Yoda, he was scolded for being too emotional and underwent a rigorous meditation regiment to place his emotions under control. Yoda advised young Skywalker to let go of his attachments. It appeared that he had to sacrifice everything, his identity along with the memory of his mother in order to become one of the fold. The question was could he do that?

It was no secret that Anakin missed his mother greatly and now that many Jedi have rejected him he missed the feeling of family. Tatooine might have been a cruel place but it was home, he at least felt accepted by his mother. In contrast, it seemed that there was nothing young Skywalker could do to gain the approval of the Jedi. He missed Master Qui'gon who he had previously looked up to as a father; Kenobi is all he has left now and the two haven't talked much this past month, leaving the young apprentice feeling more alone than ever.

"Why do I have to be the one punished?" Anakin occasionally pondered while meditating with Yoda. They were the ones that teased me. When Anakin went back to class he noticed that there was a different emotion that his fellow students had toward him, fear. They feared his strength and power, a part of young Anakin disliked the stares while another more secret part enjoyed the idea of being feared, of being respected.

Anakin started thinking of ways to impress his instructors and fellow students. He desperately wanted to fit in, to be accepted, to be loved. He saw Padawans sparring against droids and pondered if there were ways of upgrading them. He envisioned his slightly older self defeating a combat droid enhanced and reprogrammed to mimic Darth Maul, surely that will impress everyone, help them accept me. For the meantime, he would use the force to lift the heaviest of objects or steal lightsabers from the hands of his fellow classmates and occasional instructors, anything for attention.

There was a strange disturbance in the Force while Anakin slept. It wasn't caused by an imbalance between the Lightside or Darkside. Rather it was a disturbance of time and space.

The next morning Obi Wan Kenobi decided to check in on his young apprentice. He had been hearing reports about his emotional instability and wanted to provide him with guidance.

"Anakin I wanted to speak to you about…"

Obi-wan froze as he saw not one but two young Skywalkers standing side by side.

"Am I seeing double since Master Quigon's death? If this is some prank Anakin it isn't funny."

"This isn't a prank Master Kenobi sir; it appears that there are two of us."

The other Anakin pointed to the one that spoke. "What he said."

"Well, would the real Anakin please come with me?"

"Ok Master Kenobi." The two Anakins answered in unison.

"Oh dear." Kenobi rubbed his head as though he had a headache. "I will have to inform the council of this rather strange and bizarre development."


	2. Chapter 2

**A Peculiar Circumstance**

The Jedi masters were doing whatever the Jedi Master's do all day in the council room. (To be honest, I'm under the impression that they just sit cross-legged all the time).

Obi Wan entered and hoped that he wasn't interrupting. Although from the look of Jedi Master's usual lethargy it seemed that he didn't. Still, he opted to be diplomatic, a personality trait of his which only grow stronger as he grows older. Fortunately, Mace Windu was the first to break the silence.

Mace Windu: Obi Wan, do you have something on your mind?

Obi Wan took a deep breath uncertain what he was going to say next and almost trusting the Force to guide his words in the same way that it has guided his blade in the past.

Obi Wan: Yes, although I'm not sure if words will be adequate to describe the rather strange and peculiar circumstance I find myself in. Perhaps it will be best to show you. Anakins, you may come in now.

Plo Koon: Did he just say Anakins?

All the Jedi Council member's eyes grew wide as they witnessed two Anakins enter the room.

Ki Adi Mundi: How is such a thing possible?

Yoda stroked his chin as he usually did when thinking hard.

Yoda: Hmm…Perplexing this is. You are both Anakin?

"Yes sir". The two Anakins seemed to answer in unison once again causing some members of the council to rub their brows as though they were developing a headache.

(For simplicity sake I will call them Anakin 1 and Anakin 2. Otherwise I might get a headache writing this).

Anakin 1: I woke up this morning in my bead and saw my doppelganger besides me. It wasn't long before Obi Wan walked in and now here we are.

The second Anakin had a look of confusion on him as he realized that a few things were off from what he remembered.

Anakin 2: Master Jedi, where is Qui Gon Jinn? Is he out on a mission? I haven't seen my mother around here either. I can't imagine how she would react to seeing two copies of her son.

Yoda: I'm afraid, young one, that Master Qui Gon is dead. Slayed by Darth Maul, he was. Your mother is not here either, she is still on Tatooine.

Anakin 2: No, it can't be true!? That's impossible! _Tears were now flowing down Anakin's cheeks, his crying splitting up his sentences._ Master Qui Gon and Kenobi were victorious against Darth Maul….He was alive just yesterday…After their victory it was decided by this Jedi Council that my mother should be freed and live within close proximity to me…Qui Gon proposed this solution as a way to quell my fears of losing her…I was happy and at peace yesterday and in a cruel twist of fate it has all been taken away…Take me back!... _Young Anakin's emotions were getting the better of him as he was now angrily making demands…_ I don't care how, just take me back!

Yoda: I'm afraid that is beyond our ability young one.

Obi Wan then tended to both Anakins, allowing the Council to discuss what to do.

Yoda: A strange emergence in the Force this is. Why or how a second Anakin came to be here, I know not. However, measures must now be taken to ensure that both are trained in the Force.

Ki Adi Mundi was the first to ask. "This whole situation involving a parallel world makes me wonder. Why was Anakin's mother not freed from her bondage on Tatooine?"

Ki Adi Mundi had a more liberal view of family and marriage in the Jedi Order; as he was allowed an exception due to the low birth rate of his species.

Yoda: Forbidden, attachments are. Fear of losing attachments is a path to the Darkside.

Ki Adi Mundi: Anakin Skywalker was too old when he entered the order. He already had a strong bond with his mother. I have heard the young boy's thoughts. Separation from her has not severed that connection. I have also sensed the thoughts and emotions of the other Anakin. He was not lying when he said that he was at peace before being mysteriously summoned here.

Ki Adi Mundi's telepathy was also among the best in the Order, as his species had aptitude for telepathy even without the Force.

Mace Windu: Are you proposing that we make an exception for Anakin and his mother? What about all of the other Padawans? This may cause a schism among us.

Ki Adi Mundi: Perhaps. However we have already seen how this scenario played out in an alternate universe. Also, now that there are two Anakins, emotional and mental stability of both of them are important.

Yoda: Hmm…

Yoda stroked his chin once again while contemplating all that had been said. The Jedi Order had become stagnant in its practices for hundreds of years now. With the arrival of the chosen one, big decisions had to be made. They already bent the rules by allowing Anakin into the order at his age but could they afford to bend the rules even further? Qui Gon Jinn used to think so; in fact, it was his radical ideas which kept him from ever claiming a seat on the Jedi Council, in spite of his rank of master. Now with the arrival of this second Anakin everyone got a glimpse of a different history; one where Qui Gon was alive and insisted on having Anakin's mother close by the boy's side. In spite of Mace Windu's fear of a Jedi schism, this alternate world's Order did not seem worse for the wear. Also, there was the mental and emotional health of two Anakins to worry about now. Both of them will become distressed and miss their mother; especially after 'their Anakin' heard about what could have been. Lastly, Yoda was unclear about which master would be training Anakin number 2. The Council thought about it carefully when selecting Obi Wan for the job; Qui Gon was like a father to Anakin, it was thought that Obi Wan could serve as a surrogate father figure until the youngling matured into a Jedi. However, it was now unclear if Obi Wan can handle the daunting task of two Anakins. Force knows that one is trouble enough.

Yoda: It appears that the Force has sent us a message. Meditate on this I will and come to a decision…

While yes the council did decide things together it was ultimately the say of the Grandmaster which determined what would happen. Yoda decided to take on the burden of decision making all on his own this time.

Yoda announced his decision the next day.

"Yes, an exception we will make. Bring Anakin's mother to the temple, we will".


	3. Chapter 3

**A Happy Reunion and Changed Destiny**

Shmi Skywalker was guided into the temple by the Jedi while the younglings trained. The two Anakins came running towards her and hugged her as soon as they spotted her.

Anakins: Mom! -hugs- We missed you so!

Shmi was indeed quite surprised to be seeing two of them. Even after the Jedi explained this peculiar situation to her on the way. Nonetheless, they were both her son and a mother's love knows no bounds.

Shmi: Oh Ani, I missed you too. Your vision had come true, we did see each other again, I'm so glad it's so soon.

Both Anakins were overjoyed and at peace knowing that their mother was safe at the temple with them. After the hug the second Anakin started to glow with light before vanishing, he had returned home, Yoda sensed it.

It wasn't long before the Jedi noticed a change in Anakin. He was more calm and more at peace. His need to prove himself diminished with the presence of his mother around. He no longer stole lightsabers from other students and instructors. Anakin became all the more disciplined and skilled with the Force as a result. A mother's love changes everything.

Years passed and Anakin was now a teenager. He still fell in love with Padme but was less obsessive or awkward about it. Instead, Anakin treated Padme like the Queen she was.

At the start of the Clone Wars Anakin was able to put his feelings for Padme aside and focus on the mission of capturing Count Dooku...

Obi Wan: We take him together.

Anakin: Understood master.

The two of them fighting together were able to hold off Count Dooku long enough for Grandmaster Yoda to arrive. Dooku was captured alive and it wasn't long before the Jedi were able to uncover the identity of his master. The Supreme Chancellor was exposed as being Darth Sidious and the galaxy was saved. Negotiations between the Separatists and the Republic were reopened in light of both being manipulated by the Sith. Both parties were able to come to a peace agreement and the Clone Wars was stopped before it even started.

Anakin still married Padme in secret, however with a mother to talk to he was more at peace about that as well. Anakin never received a vision about Padme's death at childbirth. His destiny had been changed for the better.

During Padme's pregnancy, Shmi prompted her son to tell the Jedi the truth. While the Jedi Order was initially disappointed by the news they could not be mad at their hero and Chosen One for long.

Anakin Skywalker was both father and Jedi Master to his son and daughter, Luke and Leia. Anakin was eventually appointed to the council, where he advocated for supportive family practices in the Jedi Order. There is no longer an age limit on who could join, however, there are psychological exams to assess a person's emotional and mental well being. Also, the Order did away with its practice of taking children from families. All of these changes helped improve the public opinion of the Order.


End file.
